Identification and Expression Pattern Analysis of Two Gossypium hirsutum Zinc Finger Transcription Factors During Cotton Fiber Initiation

In the present study, putatively uncharacterized Zinc finger proteins (ZFPs) were computationally identified from cotton genome database. Their gene expression patterns were studied during fiber initiation of Gossypium hirsutum cv MCU5 and its near-isogenic fuzzless-lintless mutant. The expressions of ZFP5, ZFP8 and MYB25-like remained low at - 1 DPA (pre-fiber initiation phase) in both mutant and wild lines, but a remarkably enhanced expression was noted only in wild type for the same set of genes during fiber initiation phase (0 and 1 DPA). These findings indicate the possible involvement of ZFP5 and ZFP8 transcription factors in the gene regulatory pathway of cotton fiber initiation. By far, the current study represents the first report on potential roles of ZFP5 and ZFP8 in cotton fiber initiation.